Episode 87-Revisited Fairy Forts and Changelings
Irish Music Stories Podcast
As magical new Irish music podcasts emerge, as dark forces swirl around the world, and as much of the northern hemisphere enters into shorter, colder days, the Irish Music Stories re-investigates lore and mystery surrounding Irish fairies. With care and caution—and with young co-producer Nigel—fiddle players Tara Connaghan and Martin Hayes, singer Emily Smith, and storyteller Máirtín de Cógáin help explore songs and stories about the Sí. ________________________________ Thank you to everybody for listening. And a special thank you to recent underwriters: Harish Babu Arunachalam,...
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Episode 86-King of the Bees (IMS Sidequest)
Irish Music Stories Podcast
In this six-episode “Sidequest” series, Irish Music Stories host Shannon Heaton shares music from her “Perfect Maze” album (pollinator-inspired compositions for flute, strings, piano, and voice). And in keeping with the IMS mission, she also incudes stories that helped her navigate the whole project. For this final (sixth) installment #6 she talks about the heartbreak and beauty of mortality, and (not so silly) naked rulers, and why there are no kings in the bee world. _________________ For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project,...
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Episode 85: Red Rose and White Lotus (IMS Sidequest)
Irish Music Stories Podcast
In this six-episode “Sidequest” series, Irish Music Stories host Shannon Heaton shares music from her “Perfect Maze” album (pollinator-inspired compositions for flute, strings, piano, and voice). And in keeping with the IMS mission, she also incudes stories that helped her navigate the whole project. For installment #4 she talks of kings and royal roses, and spiritual leaders and mud-born lotus plants; and how it takes a team and timing for plants—and for humans—to transform. _________________ For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this...
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Episode 84: William of Orange (IMS Sidequest)
Irish Music Stories Podcast
In this six-episode “Sidequest” series, Irish Music Stories host Shannon Heaton shares music from her “Perfect Maze” album (pollinator-inspired compositions for flute, strings, piano, and voice). And in keeping with the IMS mission, she also incudes stories that helped her navigate the whole project. For installment #4 she breaks down one movement of her Flute Duel (with talk of cadenzas, Nuevo Tango influences, and butterfly flight patterns). She also shares stories about the ancient monarch butterfly’s namesake and its Mexican guardians. _________________ For playlists,...
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Episode 83-Copper Over Navy (IMS Sidequest)
Irish Music Stories Podcast
In this six-episode “Sidequest” series, Irish Music Stories host Shannon Heaton shares music from her “Perfect Maze” album (pollinator-inspired compositions for flute, strings, piano, and voice). And in keeping with the IMS mission, she also incudes stories that helped her navigate the whole project. For installment #3, she highlights the Blue Dress motif, one of the recurring melodies on Perfect Maze. And she tells the story of weathering updates and tragedies of primates and men with a few different hues. _________________ For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion...
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Episode 82-Aristotle in Spring (IMS Sidequest)
Irish Music Stories Podcast
In this six-episode “Sidequest” series, Irish Music Stories host Shannon Heaton shares music from her “Perfect Maze” album (pollinator-inspired compositions for flute, strings, piano, and voice). And in keeping with the IMS mission, she also incudes stories that helped her navigate the whole project. For installment #2, she examines her Sweetest Blooms Suite and considers some of the dramatic Spring blossoms in Aristotle’s day. _________________ For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project, please head to
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Episode 81-Mapping the Perfect Maze (IMS Sidequest)
Irish Music Stories Podcast
In this six-episode “Sidequest” series, Irish Music Stories host Shannon Heaton shares music from her “Perfect Maze” album (pollinator-inspired compositions for flute, strings, piano, and voice). In keeping with the IMS mission, she also incudes stories that helped her navigate the whole project. For installment #1 host Shannon Heaton talks about finding her way through a tangle of old files (and political news) by writing stories. _________________ For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project, please head to
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Episode 80-The Winning Hand
Irish Music Stories Podcast
When you’re tracing a song through six generations, and you’re digging into distinct versions of dance tunes carried by players from East Clare, you never know what card games and shipwrecks you might also uncover. This special episode—the last new story for a while—weaves together stories from John Tunney and Mary MacNamara, who grew up around generations of music in rural Ireland, with the tale of an American kid who played cards with her grandparents. * Find Paddy Tunney’s (restrung) Stone Fiddle .. and * Find Mary MacNamara’s * Listen to other episodes, and stay tuned to...
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Episode 79-Kesh v Glendart
Irish Music Stories Podcast
What is the U.S. Electoral College? And what does it have to do with The Kesh Jig and The Humours of Glendart? This election adjacent exploration of two popular jigs takes a look at the stories behind jig (and Presidential) contenders, and the process used to choose a winner. _________________ For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project, please head to ___________________ Thank you to everybody for listening. And a special thank you to this month’s underwriters: John Sullivan, Heather Carroll, Michael Craine, Adele Megann,...
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Episode 78-Tools of the Trad
Irish Music Stories Podcast
When you’re making an instrument, you’re forming something that can be used to design a melody. Or a musical life. This episode follows a precious flute’s unexpected journey. And flute makers Patrick Olwell and Eamonn Cotter, piper Colleen Shanks, and fiddle players Bob Childs and Pat O’Connor talk about what it’s like to carve an approach as musicians and craftspeople. _________________ For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project, please head to . ___________________ Thank you to everybody for listening. And a special thank...
info_outlineHow do artists paint trad? And how do they capture the sounds and feelings—and the bigger stories behind Irish music and dance—in two dimensions? In conversations with Brian Vallely, James Gurney, Vincent Crotty, and Catharine Kingcome, host Shannon Heaton explores Travelling pipers, a dilapidated hotel in the Hudson Valley, Dudley Street dance hall in post WWII America, and a country home in County Clare.
Plenty of music here, too. Full playlist below.
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Special thanks to everybody for listening. And thank you to Robert McOwen, Lance Ramshaw, Chris Murphy, Richard Kuhwarth, Mark Haynes, John Kerr, Will Coleman, David Vaughan, Brian Benscoter, Joe Garrett, and Gerry Corr
Please CLICK HERE if you can kick in to support this podcast!
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Music Heard on IMS Episode 29
all music traditional, unless otherwise indicated
Tune: “Free the Heel,” from Kitchen Session
Artist: Matt Heaton guitar
Tune: “Dear Irish Boy,” from Swimming Against The Falls
Artist: Joey Abarta
Tune: “The Bull’s March,” from The Raven's Rock
Artist: Cillian Vallely
Tune: “Silver,” from Silver
Artist & Composer: Hanneke Cassel
Tune: “Grupai Ceol Memories,” from Production Music Made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton guitar
Montage: Montage from The Travelling People
Artists: Various members of English Traveller Community, Produced by Ewan MacColl, Peggy Seeger & Charles Parker
Tune: “Dark Low Jig” from Production Music Made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton guitar
Tune: “Wicklow Hornpipe,” from Swimming Against The Falls
Artist: Joey Abarta
Song: “Terror Time,” from The Travelling People
Artists: Joe Heaney (voice)
Composer: Ewan MacColl
Tune: “Mutey Big Build” from Production Music Made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton guitar
Song: “Will Ye Go Lassie, Go,” from Wild Mountain Thyme
Artist: The McPeake Family
Tune: “A Chailleach Do Mharais Me/The Gold Ring,” from The Celtic Uilleann Pipes Collection - Volume 1
Artist: Brian Vallely
Tune: “Meaning of Life” from Production Music Made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton guitar
Tune: “Rakish Paddy,” from The Last of the Travelling Pipers
Artist: Felix Doran
Tune: “Drifting Clouds,,” from The Joy of First Year Piano
Composer: Denes Agay
Artist: Nigel Heaton
Tune: “Song of Dinotopia,” AKA Lift up your heads, Ye mighty Gates (Hymn #436) AKA TRURO, from Episcopal Hymnal
Composer: Lowell Mason (1792-1872), words Georg Weissel (1590-1635)
Artist: Shannon Heaton
Tune: “Pound the Floor” from Production Music Made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton guitar
Tune: Jackie Coleman’s” reel from Music at Matt Molloy’s
Artists: Matt Molloy & Friends
Tune: “Siege of Ennis,” from Copley Records release
Artist: Johnny Powell and his Band
Tune: “Leaving JP” from Silver
Artist & Composer: Hanneke Cassel
Tune: “Liam O’ Súilleabhaín & Brístí Breaca” AKA Bill Sullivan’s & Britches Full of Stitches from Jackie Daly Agus Séamus Creagh
Artist: Jackie Daly & Séamus Creagh
Tune: “Job of Journeywork,” from Cover the Buckle
Artist: Séan Clohessy, Sean McComiskey & Kieran Jordan
Tune: “Little Bird Lullaby,” from Production Music Made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton guitar
Tune: “Slow Reel,” from January EP
Artist: The Assembly
Tune: “Kiss the Maid Behind the Barrel,” from House Session
Artists: Boston and Clare musicians
Tune: “Doberman’s Wallet,” from Malden Fiddle lesson
Artist: Tommy Peoples
Tune: “Triumph Theme,” from Production Music Made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton guitar
Tune: “The Traveller,” from Kitchen Session
Artists: Matt & Shannon Heaton
Tune: “Wild Irishman & The Sailor’s Bonnet,” from Paddy Keenan
Artist: Paddy Keenan
Poem: “No Fixed Abode,” from Kitchen Session
Artist: Anne Marie Kennedy